HAKI UK – An exciting year ahead

With its origins dating back to 1910, when blacksmith Anders Olsson rented a smithy in Sibbhult in Sweden, over the past 110 years HAKI has gradually evolved its operation and its offering. Today it is building further on its reputation for designing, developing and supplying safe, fast and ergonomic temporary access and modular scaffolding solutions. As part of this process the company is pushing ahead with exciting plans for 2020, as David Probert, International Sales Director, recently outlined to Construction Industry News.

“We
have major plans for this year, including some new products we’ll be bringing
to market,” explains Mr Probert, who looks after the sales and marketing for
the group worldwide. “We recently relaunched our cladding system and are
modifying or amending virtually all of our product range as we speak. Some of
this information is still firmly under wraps but suffice to say we have a
number of really exciting developments that will become evident later in the
year.

“Our
owners are very forward thinking and are looking to acquire other businesses
that fit our approach. We are also aiming to expand our business presence in
the UK, ranging from how we cover oil and gas on the UK Continental Shelf through
to major projects such as Hinckley Point, Thames Tideway and HS2. At the same
time, we are committed to supporting our smaller customers and providing them
with solutions to their needs.

“We
have a great deal planned for the next 12 months including a substantial amount
of marketing activity. The utilisation of artificial intelligence will be
particularly important in terms of how we align marketing and sales so that we
can better support our customers. We are also really excited about our new
digital offer, as we’re particularly proactive on BIM, which we envisage will
become increasingly vital in all areas of the marketplace.”

Aberdeen Town House

It
is this appetite for continual improvement, coupled with the fact it has never
forgotten its origins, that has enabled HAKI to thrive down the years. “We have
stayed true to our roots and the values instilled in the company from the very
beginning,” adds Mr Probert. “This is extremely important to the business, as
we remain committed to building long term relationships with our employees, the
communities in which we operate, our customers, our stakeholders and our
suppliers. This philosophy has always served us well and continues to do so in
our ongoing relationships.

“For
instance, we have recently been working with Ramboll, the Danish global
construction consultants, on a digitalisation survey that will provide the
feedback on which we will develop our global strategy moving forward. It’s all
about gaining knowledge and working with other businesses, even competitors in
some cases, to get a clearer picture of the wider industry and gain a greater
understanding of the challenges we all face collectively.”

In
terms of where it’s focusing its energies at the moment, thanks to the effort
it puts into developing its offering and the value proposition it can provide,
HAKI is currently seeing opportunities in a wide variety of areas. “We’re all
about being a trusted partner for our customers so that we can provide them
with tailored solutions that fully meet their requirements. We can therefore
work with everyone from a scaffolding contractor through to an industrial
services contractor or a design company; appreciating that their needs are
different while at the same time understanding that safety is of the utmost
importance to them all. Ultimately it’s all about providing the highest levels
of safety in the workplace so that everyone goes home each night to their
families in one piece. This is where we excel.”

With
further improvements to its product range offering to be rolled out in the
coming months, it is clear that HAKI’s customers in the UK and elsewhere can
look forward to building further on their relationship with the company as it
celebrates its 110th year of operation.